TIPS FOR ORAL HYGIENE CARE DURING BRACES TREATMENT

During your braces treatment, there are so many things happening in your mouth. There are brackets, wires and elastics which makes it difficult to clean your teeth. Dr. Anitha Alageshan here describes the step by step process of why, when and how to maintain your oral hygiene during your braces treatment.

What happens if I don’t take care of my oral hygiene during braces treatment?

Plaque collects around the teeth and if not removed, it can lead to the following:

Swollen gums

Bleeding gums

Tartar/calculus

Bad breath

Yellowish staining of teeth

Permanent white marks on teeth

Cavities

Does oral hygiene have any effect on the braces treatment?

Treatment time gets prolonged as the gums will be unhealthy and will not promote optimum tooth movement.

What can I do to improve my oral hygiene during braces treatment?

Use an Orthobrush; bristles are designed in a particular pattern so as to help remove food particles.

Use the Dentist recommended brushing pattern.

Brush after every meal.

Brush for 2-3 minutes.

Use Interdental brush to clean in between your teeth.

Use Fluoride containing tooth paste.

Use a dental water flosser once in the night time.

Use Fluoride containing mouthwash just before going to sleep, so that it can act throughout night to prevent cavities.

Do not forget to brush your tongue.

Get regular cleaning/scaling done during your visit to the dentist’s office.

What are the products that I can use during my braces treatment?

Dr. Anitha Alageshan, recommends the following products to her patients:

Colgate Orthobrush

Colgate Interdental brush

Colgate Sensitive Toothpaste

Colgate Phosflur or Amflor mouthwash

Sonicare water flosser

Taking care of your oral hygiene is the first step towards better outcome from your braces treatment. Clear aligners such as Invisalign are always a better option if oral hygiene is your main priority. To know more about the various options, you can get in touch with our in-house braces specialist, Dr. Anitha Alageshan from Zen Dental and Health Care.